Method of making cones and tubes



C. K. DUNLAP METHOD OF MAKING CONES AND TUBES Sept. 10, 1935.

Filed Nov. 14; 1952 Patented Sept. 10, 1935 METHOD OF MAKING CONES AND TUBES Charles K. Dunlap, Hartsville, S. 0., assignor to Sonoco Products Company, Hartsville, S. 0., a corporation of South Carolina Application November 14, 1932, Serial No. 642,673

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to the fabrication of thread cores designed and intended for use as supports or mountings for thread packages in the textile industry.

5 In knitting, weaving, and cloth fabrication generally, it is found convenient, and in fact necessary, to feed thread to the cloth fabricating machines from cones, tubes, or core-like devices of other kinds. For the most part, these cores are formed of paper and wound into tubular or conical form, and each year in the textile industry many millions of these paper cores are used not only in knitting and cloth fabrication but elsewhere. A type which has proven particularly adaptable for such use comprises a'paper cone formed from a single blank, this blank being first coated with an adhesive and then wound upon itself to form a convolute structure, the core being relatively rigid and welladapted to carry a thread package of considerable size and weight. In removing the thread from the thread package and fitting the same into a. machine, the thread is usually withdrawn from the package axially of the core, and inasmuch as the end of the core projects beyond the package itself, it is essential that this end be smooth so as not to permit catching of the thread thereon, which might result in breakage.

Various means and methods have been heretofore suggested whereby the ends of such paper cores may be smoothed, and the present invention particularly contemplates an improvement in such methods whereby a completed core is obtained which has a smooth rounded end. In accordance with the invention, the core is'subjected to an ironing operation while the starchy adhesive, the function of which is to maintain the several windings secured to each other, is still wet or moist. I have discovered that the end or nose of a cone or tube, which has been freshly manufactured of paper and a starchy adhesive, may be ironed in much the same manner as is an ordi-- nary article of clothing. The ironing operation is accomplished by presenting that end of the 45 cone or tube which is to be smoothed to the action of a moving heated die while the adhesive is yet moist and before it has had opportunity to solidify.

The action of the moving heated die is such 50 as to smooth the end of the tube by displacing the fibers somewhat so that the end fibers all lie in a smooth rounded surface. The die is heated, but

the temperature to which the die is raised may be varied considerably without departure from the 55 invention as the degree of heat necessary varies with the speed of the movement of the die and with the amount of axial pressure which is exerted upon the tube when it is presented to the die. The resulting tube has a smooth rounded end surface, but which surface has no charred 5 fibers as there is no burning of the fibers effected in the operation. The process may be carried out rapidly and inexpensively, and the cones or tubes subjected to the process are uniform in character and appearance when completed. Preferably the 10 cores, after the adhesive is completely dried, are coated, at least the ends thereof over which the thread passes during the package unwinding operation, with enamel to insure that the distorted fibers do not tend to or actually resume their 15 original shapes when the cone is subjected to water vapor such as exists in the humidification rooms.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 illustrates in perspective, and partly broken away, a cone prior to the ironing operation; and

Figure 2 indicates in perspective the completed cone.

It will be understood that, while the manufacture of a cone will be hereinafter described in detail, the invention is not limited in its scope to the manufacture of apaper core of any particular shape but comprehends tubes and other shapes.

In the manufacture of the cone illustrated in the drawing, a blank of paper is first out, preferably by automatic machinery, to the desired size and shape. This blank is then coated with an adhesive, preferably on both sides, the adhesive having a starch base. One edge of theblank is then secured to a mandrel, and by rotation of the mandrel the blank is rapidly wound into conical form. Its ends are then trimmed, generally by trimmers which simultaneously take portions from both ends, leaving truly annular end surfaces such as shown in Figure 1. The cone is then ready for the smoothing or ironing operation. While the adhesive which secures the several convolutions thereof together is still in a wet or moist condition, its small end, which is to be rounded, is presented to a rapidly rotating die and lightly pressed against the surface of this die. Dies for smoothing the ends of paper cones have heretofore been used in the art and are well-known. These dies, however, have not heretofore been heated for the purpose of exerting an ironing effect upon the moistend of a starchy adhesive saturated cone.-

The temperature to which the rotating die is heated will vary, but it may be said generally that I this temperature should be somewhere between 250 F. and 800 F. Where the die is highly heated, a light pressure only need be employed, and furthermore the paper cone is maintained in contact with the die for a relatively short time. Where the die is relatively cool, the cone is kept in contact therewith for a greater length of time in order to secure the desired rounding and smoothing. The speed of rotation of the die likewise should be considered. With the die rotating at very high speeds, the period of contact is shortened, and where the die rotates slowly, the period of contact must be lengthened. The period of contact will likewise vary somewhat with the character of the paper which is employed in the fabrication of the cone and, to a certain extent, with the character of the starchy adhesive.

While there are a number of variables, therefore, which must be considered in the manufacture of these articles, it is easily possible by a very few trials to select the-desired speed of rotation of the die, the desired temperature, and the desired pressure which should be used in the treatment of apaper cone of any desired character. In every instance the cone is to have its end completely and satisfactorily smoothed but without charring of the fibers. In the fabrication of the cone, more of the adhesive may be removed than should be removed in view of the subsequent ironing operation to be performed thereon, and in this event the small end or nose of the cone should be dipped in the starchy adhesive just prior to the time when the same is subjected to the action of the rotating die. This insures that there is a sufficient quantity of starch present during the ironing operation.

After the smoothing operation has been completed, the cones are dried, and, if desired, the small or thread discharge end thereof is given a coating of enamel. This enamel coating encloses and protects the fibers which have been distorted by the action of the die, making it impossible for these fibers to come in contact with water or moisture. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the distorted paper fiber will tend to resume its original shape when moistened. It is, therefore, highly desirable to eliminate all possibility of distortion of the end of the cone once its surface has been smoothed in the manner indicated. 5

From the foregoing description it is thought that one skilled in the art may readily practice the invention. It provides an inexpensive and wholly practical method of smoothing the end of a cone or tube or, for that matter, some other portion of a paper article. By a short series of experiments, the proper die temperatures, die rotational speeds, and pressures of application most desirable for the treatment of any particular type of cone, fabricated of any type of paper 5 and impregnated with any type of starchy adhesive, may be readily selected.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:- 20

l. The method of fabricating a thread core for use in the textile industry which comprises, applying a starchy adhesive in liquid form to a paper blank, winding the blank to form a multiply tube, and subjecting the end of the tube, while 25 the adhesive is still moist, to the ironing or smoothing action of a smooth surfaced heated ironing member, the tube end being maintained in contact with said member until the outermost fibers are deflected laterally so as to comprise ele- 30 ments of a common smooth end surface, the ironing operation being unaccompanied by burning or charring of the fibers or bodily distortion of any portion of the tube, and the deflected fibers being retained in position by the hardened 35 starchy adhesive.

2. A paper thread core for use in the textile industry having a tubular open end which terminates in an annular transversely rounded edge surface, said edge surface comprising defi-ected 40 paper fibers permanently maintained in said surface by the binding action of a hardened starchy adhesive, the fibers immediately underlying said surface being undistorted.

45 CHARLES K. DUNLAP. 

